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THE APOSTLE OF THE RECONCILIATION
6
CHAPTER 1
Many Infallible Proofs
A question of Authorship, Accuracy and Authenticity.
When we commence the Acts of the Apostles we realize that we are reading a second volume, and that the same
writer had addressed the same individual in a former treatise.
`The former account I made, O Theophilus, concerning all things which Jesus began both to do and to teach,
until the day in which He was taken up' (Acts 1:1,2 Author's translation).
We already possess in the inspired Scriptures four such records, which take us at least to the resurrection if not to
the ascension of the Lord. The Gospel according to Matthew does not record the ascension, it being more in
harmony with the purpose of that book to leave Christ upon the earth in possession of `all power'. John likewise
stops short of the ascension. This leaves us Mark and Luke. Mark records the ascension, and in the closing verses
thus epitomizes the story of the Acts:
`And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with
signs following' (Mark 16:20).
Luke's Gospel also records the ascension; and the parallels which may be seen between the closing verses of
Luke and the opening section of Acts are so intimate that really to see them will practically convince the reader that
the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts are Volumes 1 and 2, written by the same writer. Note the parallels
between Luke 24:36-53 and Acts 1:1-14 :
LUKE
ACTS
Many Infallible Proofs.
`And as they thus spake, Jesus
` ... the apostles whom He had
Himself stood in the midst of
chosen: to whom also He
them and saith unto them, Peace
shewed Himself alive after His
be unto you. But they were
passion by many infallible
terrified and affrighted, and
proofs, being seen of them forty
supposed that they had seen a
days'.
spirit. And He said unto them,
Why are ye troubled? and why do
thoughts arise in your hearts?
(It will be seen that what Luke
Behold My hands and My feet,
wrote in fuller detail, Acts
that it is I Myself: handle Me and
summarizes under one head.
see; for a spirit hath not flesh and
This is exactly what we do
bones, as ye see Me have. And
when referring to previous
when He had thus spoken, He
correspondence
on
any
shewed them His hands and His
subject).
feet. And while they yet believed
not for joy, and wondered, He
said unto them, Have ye here any
meat? And they gave Him a
piece of a broiled fish, and of an
honeycomb. And He took it, and
did eat before them'.